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Senator Jeff Flake has been criticized by many on the left for his vote against expanded background checks for gun sales. He's also been hit hard by conservatives for being part of the Gang of Eight's efforts on comprehensive immigration reform.

A Phoenix woman bas been sentenced to two years
in prison and may pay up to $5 million in restitution for her part in a fake coupon ring. In March,
41-year-old Robin Ramirez pleaded guilty to counterfeiting.

The Arizona U.S. Attorney’s office said a man suspected of starting a series of wildfires in northern Arizona over the weekend has been arrested. All of the fires were located near Marshall Lake south of Flagstaff.

The body of a Tucson man has been recovered after he was apparently stung to death by bees while hiking in the Santa Rita Mountains, north of Nogales. Lieutenant Raoul Rodriguez of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said the 55-year-old man was found hanging from his climbing gear on a cliff near Mount Hopkins.

Arizona has been a national leader in the number of potentially impactful ballot propositions that voters have needed to approve or reject. The Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University recently released a report that included possible changes to improve the ballot initiative process.

Construction is coming back to the Southwest, and with it, competition for construction workers.
Construction season in Phoenix is starting, and building sites such as these need more and more workers.

State budget talks, at least publicly, seemed to be stuck in a rut. That changed earlier this week when Senate leaders introduced a series of budget bills.Jim Small of The Arizona Capitol Times explained why Senate President Andy Biggs is allowing the budget bills to move forward and how impactful Governor Jan Brewer's proposed Medicaid expansion has been on the legislative session.

The State Transportation Board will soon be choosing from three options for its latest five-year construction program, but each plan means difficult choices. The Arizona Department of Transportation said less federal money and less revenue from gas and vehicle license taxes means it will cut $350 million from its 2014-2018 construction program.

A
wildfire burning east of the Nogales
Airport, has blackened
800 acres. It's about 5 percent contained, according to Coronado National
Forest spokeswoman Michelle Fidler, who says the human-caused fire broke out
Friday.

A new poll from Phoenix-based Behavior Research Center shows a change in Arizonan's attitudes about military women serving in ground combat roles. President Jim Haynes says the latest Rocky Mountain Poll shows 69 percent of respondents favor women serving in those positions.

Governor
Jan Brewer told lawmakers she wouldn't be signing any bills until progress was
made on a state budget and Medicaid expansion. Late yesterday, her actions
matched her words.Governor
Brewer vetoed five bills on Thursday after Senate President Andy Biggs sent
them to her desk.

With wildfire season upon us, it’s important to understand a key term you’ll hear a lot of -- how much of a fire is “contained.” “When we say ‘contained,’ we still have fire crews out there who will monitor the fire and make sure that we can hold that line, so that’s very different than calling it ‘controlled,’" said Carrie Dennett, fire prevention officer for Arizona State Forestry.

Police have identified a body
found floating in Tempe Town Lake. Gerrick Begay was discovered
between the railroad bridge and the Mill
Avenue Bridge around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday. Begay was 21 years old and a Tempe resident, police said.

The 1 cent sales tax increase approved by voters in 2010 as Proposition 100 expires on Saturday. The vote occurred while Arizona's economy was in the middle of the recession and the state's budget was deep in a deficit.

The Phoenix Symphony is officially back on its feet. The
nonprofit organization faced a $1.5 million budget deficit
less than two years ago. CEO Jim Ward attributed an improved business model has
helped the symphony erase its debt.

Arizona Sen. John McCain said Tuesday he cannot fully endorse women joining the military until the problem of sexual assault among its personnel is solved.
Arizona Sen. John McCain shared a story of a woman asking his opinion on her daughter joining the military at the Senate Armed Services hearing.

State Representative John Kavanagh has conceded he cannot drum up enough support among legislative colleagues for his bid to ask voters to rescind Arizona's 2010 Medical Marijuana Act. The problem, he said, is political.

Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies have rescued two
domesticated dogs that had been abandoned in the desert, east of Phoenix. Sheriff Joe
Arpaio says a woman spotted the dogs while she was on horseback and led
deputies to them.

Phoenix is
scorching this week, with temperatures upwards of 110 degrees expected across
the metro area today. That’s about 10 degrees warmer than normal. This isn’t
just uncomfortable. The weather is causing an uptick in emergency calls – and not
just in the city’s urban areas.

If you’re looking for a last-minute Father's Day gift, the
state wants you to know you likely won’t get cheated at the register.The Arizona Department of Weights and Measures did 28
unannounced inspections at retailers statewide, looking at the items people
often buy for their dads, like ties, cologne and watches.